Marilyn Louise Pruitt, longtime Goodland resident, age 74, of Hobart, Oklahoma passed away Sunday, February 27, 2022, at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon, Oklahoma.
Marilyn was born July 24, 1947, to Arthur S. and Evelyn D. (Snelling) Johnson in Goodland. She was the youngest of 2 children from this union. She grew up on a farm south of Kanorado with her parents and sister Ruthie. She went to school and graduated from Kanorado High School in May of 1965. On August 24, 1964, she married Robert C. Pruitt at the Letha Fogo House in Goodland. They made their home south of Ruleton, where she and her husband Bob, worked for a farmer. From this union 3 girls were born Cathy, Amy and Betty Ann. Ruthie passed away leaving Marilyn an only child for many years. She acquired 2 sisters and a brother when her father remarried Bernadine (Bateman) Johnson. Art adopted Linda and Tina, and later Michael Johnson. Then she was the oldest sibling.
Marilyn was a homemaker and farmwife and considered by many to be a master quilter. In the early years of their marriage Marilyn worked at as a waitress in Kanorado and Burlington at different restaurants. She then drove truck for sugar beet harvest and wheat harvest. She would disc and sweep all the summer fallow fields when the girls were all in school but was always home when the schiol bus came and had supper on the table when Bob got home. In later years, she was able to keep in contact with the girls through a CB radio. Her CB handle was Cacctus Flower. She was a member of the Burlington CB club for many years. She also helped with changing irrigation water mornings and evenings every day when the wells were running. There were no sprinklers and circles in those days, everything was done with flood irrigation pipe and irrigation socks. In her spare time she painted quilt blocks with Cameo paints for more than 10 years. Later in life, after her husband passed away, she would go to the San Luis valley in Colorado during fall harvest to drive a truck for potato harvest.
Marilyn moved to Hobart Oklahoma 9 years ago to be closer to Betty and her family. She helped watch Kacey and Ed when they were younger. The milder winter climate there agreed with her so she moved there and only came home to Goodland mostly during the summer months.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Goodland and a member of the Quilters Club. Among her many life’s passions, hand quilting and cross stitch quilt blocks were at the top of the list. She went quilting 5, sometimes 6 days a week here in Goodland at the United Methodist Church and later at the United Methodist Church in Altus, Oklahoma. She also enjoyed making quilts and giving them away to family, friends, and donated several to local veterans. She made every kind of quilt known. There were hand embroidered baby quilts that are already stamped with a pattern and needed to be embroidered, printed block quilts you cut and sew back together, cutting and piecing even the most complicated patterns with pieces as small as 1 inch like the bargello quilt that can be made with scraps or themed fabric. She made lots of clothes for the girls when they were little and continued sewing everything from barbie doll clothes to full summer wardrobes. She also enjoyed gardening and preserving vegetables. She grew a huge garden that she canned everything possible from to eat during the cold winter months. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and playing pinochle.
Marilyn would like to let you know that her work here is done. She received a call, the sort of offer you can't refuse, for a job from which she will not be returning. This opportunity comes with a huge sign-on bonus, a reunion with family and friends she has not seen in a very long time. Her new position takes her to a wonderful place where she will be socializing, gardening, canning, and quilting to her heart's content. Music, love, and laughter are guaranteed. The food is delicious and you never gain an ounce. She left detailed instructions for her family and friends to celebrate her life here, which has now been completed. We want to let her know that she did a great job and we wish her a safe journey.
She is preceded in death by her husband Bob, parents Art and Evelyn Johnson, sister Ruthie Johnson, and grandson-in-law Jay Murray.
Marilyn is survived by her daughters, Cathy (Paul) Eddleman of Goodland, KS, Amy (Shawn) Mari of Burlington, CO and Betty Ann Heskett of Hobart, OK; brother, Michael (Melissa) Johnson of Goodland, KS; sisters, Tina (Nathan Pennell) Johnson of Tribune, KS and Linda (Roy) Feldt of Dallas, TX; 9 grandchildren: Johana Eddleman, Victoria (Alex) Crossland, Doug (Jillian) Eddleman, James (Aubrey) Mari, Brittany Heskett, Tyler Heskett, J.W. (Shelby Arnold) Eddleman, Danneen (Homer Ellis) Heskett and Kacey Heskett; 16 great grandchildren, T.J., Aidan, Abby, Lathen, Jessie, Maddalynne, Emmaleigh, Bailey, Braxton, Brennen, Kinsley, Paisley, Ed, Adley, Harlow, Tatum; and many more family and friends.
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